Challenge Yourself to Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable…

So I haven’t really written anything really since I got to Australia, a few months ago, and now that our season is done I figure I probably should get on that. Our season here was up and down and we ended up losing in the second round of playoffs. However, our team really came together in the end and we were finally starting to work well together. I’m proud of how far we got and how much we improved by the end of the season. For those who don’t know, SEABL is a fair league during the Aussie winter/US summer months. It is very laid back, very casual compared to most leagues players experience while playing abroad. About two practices a week and 1-2 games over the weekend. The team I played for was the Supercats. They have a great program in Geelong with good people and a friendly fan base. Most of my teammates were very young, goofy, and were a fun group to play this past season with. As for games, I rarely played any more than 15 minutes a game, so I guess you could say I had to be efficient with my time. It was a new experience because never in my life have I ever spent so much time as an import riding the bench. Lol Usually teams are squeezing as much as they can out of their imports and we have to play anywhere between 30-40 minutes rain or shine. So it was a bit different than previous teams/ leagues to say the least but at least my body got lots of rest time I guess lol. Overall, I’ve really enjoyed my time playing with the Supercats here in Geelong and I’m very grateful for them allowing me to play once more in Australia and see so many old friends at the same time.

I’ve got about 2 weeks left now so I’ve decided this weekend to go up to Cairns to see the Great Barrier Reef. If playing pro ball has taught me anything it’s how to be comfortable doing things alone or if not comfortable, doing them anyway. It’s taught me how to make the most of every spontaneous moment with the random people I meet along the way. So I’m making this trip to Cairns alone to see something I’ve never seen before; staying in a backpacker hotel so I can find other travelers like myself. My plans are to relax, enjoy the warm weather, see the rainforest, and snorkel on the reef. A nice little get away from the norm. Don’t get me wrong I was little nervous deciding to wing it alone, but I never want what I am capable of doing or seeing, to be limited to the people around me or not around me. If your potential relies solely on the people you surround yourself with, you’re limiting yourself in more ways than you realize. Don’t be afraid to walk it alone for a while. Take that trip you’ve always wanted to take. Stay in hostels, backpacker hotels. Airbnb it. Get out of your comfort zone! Meet other travelers. Talk to those other human beings occupying the world around you. Get outside of yourself, your own life, your head. Listen to other people’s stories. Soak it all in and try not to get taken and sold on the black market in the process. 😉 jk.. but seriously, just learn to be smart. Don’t be like my mom telling strangers on the train all your details and exactly where you’re staying in Milan when you get there. Lol Gotta be careful traveling with Carma… Mostly, don’t limit how vividly, how colorfully you experience life to what you’re comfortable with.

Some of my favorite memories have come from those spontaneous, uncomfortable moments. I took a trip to Barcelona a few years back to meet up with an old friend and one of the nights I was left on my own. That evening I decided to go for a walk and maybe grab a drink at a wine bar down the road. I uncomfortably stood outside the entrance, pretending to look at my phone deciding if I had the courage to sit in a bar alone drinking; worried how it might look. Of course, my awkward self, happened to get in the way of a guy trying to walk in and we had a laugh. He noticed I was alone and invited me to sit with him and all his friends. They turned out to be a group of internationals like myself. Him and his buds were a group of New Zealand Rugby players playing for a team in France. The others were a group of travelers from Ireland. A night I would’ve spent inside my hotel room biding my time until my flight the next day, turned into surprisingly one of the best nights I’ve ever had. Drinking beers, singing, and laughing with strangers I’ll probably never see again; In a city I’ve never been before. One thing that night taught me was that one of my biggest regrets would’ve been staying in my room, playing it safe just because I was scared to experience the city alone. Scratch that, not alone; scared to experience it with a few quality people I just haven’t met yet. So here’s to landing in Cairns, meeting a few more quality people to experience the reef and make some great memories in new place with.

Prayers UP! Praise God for allowing me to experience so much of the world in this way through the game I love!

One Comment

Very good verse from Proverbs……even when man doesn’t have well laid plans and decides to wing it, the Lord is still there, guiding your footsteps. I’ve really enjoyed reading about your adventures. It takes me back to some of my own adventures following Iowa State basketball…..11 hour trip to Lubbock, plane ride to Berkley, road trip to Bowling Green & Datyon. Sometimes I was kind of out of my comfort zone, but I was glad I did those exciting things, and will always have fond memories of my trips and the people I’ve met. Keep having fun, and I look forward to reading about your next adventure! 🙂